Take a Trip Down Memory Lane at the Amazing Sailor Moon Exhibition in Tokyo!

There are many girls all over the world that are familiar with the girl with long, pig-tailed, blonde hair sporting a skimpy sailor-like uniform that loves to pose along with her equally-coordinated friends by her side. But really, who hasn’t heard of the amazing, wonderfully talented Sailor Moon?!

Sailor Moon’s popularity

In my home country (the Phillippines), from around the end of the 20th century until the early 21st century, everyone knew who Sailor Moon was, so much that many even looked up to her and her friends in terms of the definition of “cool and pretty”. Cosplaying as one of the Sailor Guardians can only be pulled off by a chosen few but every girl wants to at least try doing some of their cool poses (if not for the costumes and hairstyle).

In Japan, Sailor Moon’s influence is still strong – even though the first episode of the anime version was aired more than 20 years ago – that you can even say its fanbase is par with the likes of Hello Kitty or Doraemon. So it’s not completely unusual for an exhibition to commemorate the awesomeness of Sailor Moon to exist here in Japan.

Originally a comic (manga) by Naoko Takeuchi, Sailor Moon was turned into an animation series in 1992 and was even given various stage musical adaptations.

So from April 16 to July 19 at Roppongi Hills Mori Tower Mori Arts Center Gallery, a special showcase is currently running to commemorate the franchise with the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Exhibition. This features more than 20 years of Sailor Moon’s history, memorabilia, music, and more. With that promise, a nostalgic trip from my childhood will surely commence.

What to expect

A friend and I visited the exhibition on the first Saturday afternoon of the opening of the exhibit, which turned out to be very busy with many fans eager to see what Sailor Moon glory awaits – just like us. However, we purchased ourselves a Tokyo Art Museum + Tokyo City View one-year passport that allows us unlimited access to specific exhibits in the Mori Museum and the Sky Deck for an entire year. We were also treated to a cute Sailor Moon Pass rather than the standard boring pass card.

The exhibit is on the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower and as we arrived, we were surprised at its prime location. The curtains were up and we were able to enjoy an awesome view of Tokyo’s skyline. It took us around ten minutes just to take photos without even entering the main part of the exhibit.

A few steps away, we were then met with our first sign that we were on the right track for a trip to nostalgia. A standee of Sailor Moon with her signature pose had flocks of visitors taking pictures. Also, what was even greater was that behind her, was a view of Tokyo Tower – which of course, many fans will know was always present whenever she struck that pose in the animated series. On top of that, there was even a photographer handy to direct fans to a perfect photo opportunity with the Pretty Guardians in the background. A small version of the photo is provided as a souvenir, but a larger version can be purchased for 1000 yen.

Manga’s Original Storyboards

Inside the exhibit, we were taken on a trip of the manga’s original storyboards which even displayed the first appearances of the characters from the brainstorming stage of the production. There is plenty of great memorabilia as well ranging from action figures, playing cards, jewelry, and even game center machines with only Sailor Moon decorated on it. Some even brought back some great childhood memories!

However, that wasn’t the only thing that took me down memory lane, the Sailor Moon theme song was also continuously playing in the background and managed to give me long-lasting ‘last song syndrome’ (LSS).

Moon Cafe and Other Attractions

There were plenty of other features available inside the exhibit as there was a small room that displayed a short clip of the Pretty Guardian’s plot history, along with beautiful posters of the Pretty Guardians along the walls in one corner of the exhibit. Here too, I discovered that there was an all-girls stage musical version of Sailor Moon. Yes, ALL GIRLS as even Tuxedo Mask was played by a female.

After taking plenty of pictures and venturing down memory land, we decided to take a short break from Sailor Moon. Luckily, as mentioned earlier, our “Passport” allows us unlimited access to Mori Building’s Sky Deck, which is a great viewing spot to see all of Tokyo in its glory – and get a clear view of Tokyo Tower!

Also, what’s great about these special exhibits is that the Mori Art Museum transforms their Moon Café into a themed café. This time, it turned into Chibiusa Café. As expected, their menu was also very much inspired by Sailor Moon with prices ranging from 1000-2000 yen per meal.

Overall, the exhibition was a very enjoyable experience that provided a great trip down memory lane. If you love childhood Sailor Moon memories, then definitely check out this amazing exhibition in Roppongi!

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